Container with water shedding top construction



y1 1 c. G. PREIS '2,601,945

CONTAINER WITH WATER SHEDDING TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed. April 14. 1949 IN VEN TOR.

(MEL 6. FEE/5 "M 27.4%

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A TTOENEYS Patented July 1, 1952 CONTAINER WITH WATER SHEDDING TOP CONSTRUCTION Carl G. Preis, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 14, 1949, Serial No. 87,402

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers for the packaging and delivery of liquids, such as milk and has particular reference to asanitary fibre container having a top construction which will readily shed water and other foreign matter.

The invention constitutes an improvement'upon the container illustrated and described in United States Patent 2,246,518 issued June 24, 1941 to John M. Hothersall on Container, and is especially an improvement on the top construction thereof.

The invention contemplates a container top member which is secured to the body of the container by an interfolding of -marginal' edge portions of the top and the body members in an end seam, the top member being domed so that its outer or upper surface is above the plane of the major portion of the surrounding end seam and being surmounted by an embossment which includes a dispensing opening and a portion of the end seam, the embossment and included portion of the end seam extending above the top member and the major portion of the end seam.

An object of the invention'is' the provision of a sanitary fibre container forlmilk and other beverages wherein the top member is formed so that water or other foreign matter is prevented from collecting on the top of the container with Another object is the provision of such a'container wherein the domed top member is provided with a raised embossment which includes a portion of the container end seam and a dispensing op'ening'and which with its inclusions is'elevated above the top member and the major portion of the end "seam to insure draining away from the embossment any water or otherjforeign matter and thus maintain the top surfaces of the embossment free from contamination.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as'it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: Figure. 1 is a perspective view of a container embodyingthe instant invention, with a portion brokena'way-and clearly illustrating the emboS'SF mentv which surrounds the dispensing opening and also showingtheclosure in anopen position; Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of thecontainer shown in Fig. 1 with the closure element in a closed position; and

' the top portion of the container as viewed substantially along the in Fig. 2.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawing discloses a fibre container comprising a substantially rectangular tubular body ll closed at its ends with top and bottom members l2, I3 (Fig. 1). The body ll preferably is formed from a single sheet of fibrous material folded at right angles to provide four side walls 15, the short edges of the sheet being overlapped in a vertical lap side seam IS. The marginal'edges of the seam preferably are secured with a suitable adhesive so that a liquid tight side seam results.

The top and bottom members I2, 13 preferably are squares of fibre material which are interlocked with the adjacent end or marginal terminal portions of the body. For this purpose the body marginal end portions are bent obliquely inwardly as at it and thence outwardly as at l9 thereby providing ledges 2| on which the members i2, l3;are-supported. The extreme edges of the body marginal terminal portions are thence bent inwardly over the outer marginal edges of the members [2 [3 thus providing opposite end flanges 22 which hold the members in place.

The flange parts I9, 22 of the body adjacent its ends and the edges of the top and bottom members [2, l3 preferably are secured with a suitable liquid proof adhesive. This manner of construction provides a liquid tight end seam which generally is indicated by the numeral 25., The bottom member I3 preferably is fiat throughout. In'contrast to this the top memrespective lines 3--3, 44

' ber I2 is formed with a raised domed or pyrimidal Qfthe end seam and practically merges into the endseam in a stepped panel section or re-e'n-' forcing shoulder 29 thereby providing a smooth or flush connection between the panel and the seam. This construction -of 'top member .pre-

' vents collection of waterfsuch as rain water, ice

water. orv any other foreign matter'o'n top of the container, any such matter immediately running off, ordraining away over the smooth end seam L 25 s'o thatthe top memberfwill be left clean. 7

3 The top member i2 is further provided with a raised boss, platform or embossment 3i which is superimposed upon or surmounts the domed panel 21 and which includes a flat top surface 32 having a dispensing opening 33 formed therein.

The boss 3| preferably is located adjacent one.

corner of the container top although it could equally well be located adjacent a side of the top or any other desired location. All portions of the boss 31 extend above the domed panel 21 so that the top surface of the boss is elevated above the parts of the top member. This boss preferably starts substantially at the geometrical center of the panel 2? of the top member l2 and extends outwardly and preferably horizontally (as shown in Fig. 3) to the outer edge of the top member including the end seam 25.

The outer edge of the boss portion of the top member I2 is incorporated in an elevated portion 35 of the end seam 25 and is formed with a re-enforcing shoulder 35 (Fig. 3) which provides for a tight fit against the inner edge of the seam and which makes the top flange 22 of this elevated portion 34 of the seam flush with the top of the boss 3! for use as a pouring surface when the contents of the container are dispensed. The elevated portion 34 of the end seam 25 merges into the remaining portion of the seam on both sides of the boss 3! in abrupt sharply sloped shoulders 36 which also merge laterally into similarly sloped shoulders 31 of the boss itself. The shoulders 3'1 extend completely around the boss 3| from the seam shoulder 36 on one side of the container top to the seam shoulder 36 on the opposite side of the top, thus forming'a relatively high barrier around the boss.

Thus any foreign matter impinging against the top of the container is readily shed or directed away from the top surface of the boss Si by the shoulders St, in the end seam and the shoulders 31 around the boss. This shedding or draining of foreign matter from the top ofthe container is of particular value when tilting the container into position for dispensing the contents therefrom.

The dispensing opening 33 preferably is closed and the top surface 32 of the boss 3| covered and protected by a hinged closure element-42 which is similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned Hothersall patent' The closure element is secured by a staple i3 to the top of the boss 3i. This closure element is substantially the same shape and dimensions as the top of the boss SI and covers the entire top surface 32 of the boss. A portion of the element is formed with a friction plug 44 which fits tightly into the dispensing opening 33 and which is expanded under the boss 3| to keep it in place when the container is filled and closed. Adjacent the elevated portion 34 of the seam 25, the closure element 12 is formed with a depending skirt portion 46 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which extends over the seam and is bent upwardly under the seam as shown in Fig. 3 to keep the closure element in place.

In this manner the top surface of the boss 3! and the adjacent elevated portion 34 of the end seam 25which is used as a pouring surface when the contents are dispensed from the container, are maintained in a clean, sanitary condition. In opening the container by the raising of the closure element 42, anywater or other foreign matter that may be in the recess of thefriction plug 44 is emptied onto the domed shaped panel 21 below the boss 3| and is immediately drained away from the boss and the surrounding container top by virtue of the domed shape of the top walls and the barrier around the boss and is thereby prevented from coming into contact with the contents of the container.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A container for liquids comprising a tubular fibre body terminating in a peripheral flange, a fibre top member having its marginal edge portions secured to said body flange in an end seam, said top member inside of said end seam being formed with a domed panel disposed above the top plane of the major portion of said end seam, a raised embossment integrally formed in said top member and extending outwardly toward and incorporated in an adjacent portion of said end seam, said incorporated seam portion being raised above the remaining seam to insure said embossment having a flat top surface flush with the raised portion of the end seam to provide an unbroken elevated pouring surface for dispensing the contents of the container, a dispensin opening in said embossment, and a closure element for said dispensing opening, said closure element when in closed position extending over and covering the pouring surface of said embossment and the adjacent portion of said end seam, said embossment and the raised portion of said end seam providing abrupt shoulders for said embossment which merge into sloped shoulders at the junction of the raised and the unelevated portions of said end seam for shedding from said domed panel and over the unelevated portion of said end seam undesirable extraneous foreign matter, whereby to insure against contamination of the container contents.

2. A container for liquids comprising a tubular fibre body terminating in a peripheral flange, a fibre top member having its marginal edge portions united with said body flange in an end seam, said top member being formed with a domed panel extending upwardly from inside of said seam, a "raised embossment integrally formed in said top member and extending above said domed panel and into a portion of said end seam, a dispensing opening in said embossment adjacent the end seam, the end seam portion contained in said embossment being elevated above the re-' ing in a peripheral inwardly extending flange, a'

fibre top member having a domed panel'and angular corners and having its marginal edge portions secured within said body flange inan end' seam, a raised embossment integrally formed in the domed panel of said {top member, and ex'-" tending from the centraljpo'rtion thereof into one ofthe corners of the top member and including a portion of the end 'seam which is elevated above the remaining portion of the seam; outeredges of said embossment adjacent said included corner abutting against the included inner edges of said inwardly extending terminal flange of said body to constitute with the raised portion of said end seam a substantially continuous and flush pouring surface adjacent, said dispensing opening for shedding extraneous foreign matter from said top member, and a closure element hingedly secured to said embossment at one side of said opening for closing and sealing the container to insure against contamination of the container contents.

4. A container for liquids comprising a tubular fibre body terminating in a peripheral flange, a fibre top member having its marginal edge portions united with said body flange in an end seam, said top member being formed with a domed panel extending upwardly inside of said seam, a raised embossment integrally formed in said top member and an adjacent part of said end seam and having a flat top surface extending above said domed panel and the remaining lower part of said seam, said fiat top surface having a dispensing opening therein for said container and merg- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,246,518 Hothersall June 24, 1941 2,311,333 French Feb. 16, 1943 2,355,044 Almgren Aug. 8, 1944 

